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The initial track I was captivated by
My most primal memory is stepping into a space at nursery school where they were blasting Yellow Submarine by the Beatles. I was captivated by the sonic landscape, and John Lennon bellowing: “Full speed ahead!” When it got to the refrain, I distinctly thought: “This must be music!”

The inaugural 45 I purchased
When I was eight, I was victorious in a contest at school to select a new record to play at the small dance we had on Fridays. My teacher took me to Woolworths, and I picked out Come Back My Love by Darts. The first record I bought with my own pocket money was Mull of Kintyre by Paul McCartney's Wings from a record shop in Colne. It was topping the charts at the time, and I chose it when my dad mentioned that it was by a former member of the Beatles.

The track I do at sing-along
I honestly cannot stand karaoke and avoid it at all costs. But under duress, I’d choose Summer Wind by Ol' Blue Eyes.

The track I strangely remember each line to
I just discovered that I have memorized virtually the entire lyrical content to The Boy in the Bubble, You Can Call Me Al, and every song on Graceland by Paul Simon.

The perfect song to blast at a party
It depends on which phase of the evening you are at. At the start it would most likely be I Heard It Through the Grapevine by Marvin Gaye. As the night wears on, I’d move on to the Artist, the Rolling Stones and Bowie, and when it hits its peak, Phat Planet by Leftfield, Born Slippy .NUXX by the techno pioneers, and Ascension by Gorillaz, which is an undeniable hit.

The track I can never listen to
I strangely cannot stand Mr Brightside by the Killers.

The best piece to make love to
Come Together by the Beatles.

The LP that changed my life
When I was twelve and starting to learn the guitar, I’d only listen to early rock ’n’roll, and was fixated on Elvis, Chuck Berry, the killer, the New Orleans legend, Buddy Holly and the rockabilly star. Then my babysitter introduced me to Let There Be Rock by AC/DC. It was still guitar music, but it was high voltage rock music. The moment he dropped the vinyl on the turntable, I was hooked.

The track that gets me up in the morning
What’d I Say in its full glory by Ray Charles.

The song that gets me emotional
Most music leaves me moved. The Queen of Soul, Frank Sinatra, Presley and the Beatles all bring a tear to my eye because of the tune and pure beauty of the voices. But The Ocean by the Sheffield crooner strikes a chord consistently.

The music I’d like performed at my final send-off
The King. If I’m given a cremation, I’ll have Burning Love. If I’m buried, I’ll have Way Down.